Europe

A hipster guide to cultural wonderlands brimming with great places to eat, quirky cafes, eclectic shops, contemporary art and music

What do you think of our list? Got any other suggestions?

Northern and Southern Europe

MIERA IELA – RIGA
Capital of Culture 2014, stroll down Miera iela (Peace Street) and you will see why Riga is receiving recognition.

UZUPIS – VILNIUS
Once a dangerous and edgy neighbourhood and a self-declared “republic”, it is now a haven of fashion, poetry, concerts, exhibitions and coffee houses, not to mention home to artists.

KALAMAJA – TALLINN
Not far from the city centre, these wooden houses, quiet streets, flea markets, bars and shops make for a quaint historic district populated by artists and other young Tallinners.

OLD NICOSIA– CYPRUS

Kala Kathoumena coffee shop serves the hipsters of Cyprus who bring freshly rolled cigarettes to this quaint, vine-covered café. As far as nightlife goes, New Division boasts graffiti-covered walls, repossessed furniture, and the dinginess of a run-down building, so you best believe this is where they head post-cafe to stare indifferently at each other while partaking in obscure music and decently priced drinks. For a little Zen action, Utopia Shop offers tea and treats, as well as activist lectures and yoga.

AMSTERDAM-NOORD, AMSTERDAMRecognized as the city’s trendiest place to be, Amsterdam-Noord offers some of the most cutting-edge architecture, art studios and creative start-ups, new bars and restaurants and am mega flea market once a month. This creative hub is an essential visit for anyone in the area.

KREUZBERG- BERLINStretching from the leafy Bergmannstraße all the way to the river at Oberbaumbrücke, this distinctly Turkish part of town is really the place to see and to be seen in. From the eclectic bars, affordable Turkish eateries, boutique stores on the hip Oranienstraße, a legendary club scene and even a floating swimming pool.

GRUNERLOKKA – OSLOGrunerløkka is Olso’s edgier and trendier district. Explore the Birkelunden flea market on Sundays, visit designer shops or the numerous galleries, before taking a break at one of the many artisan coffee shops or microbreweries in the vicinity.

SöDERMALM- STOCKHOLMSweden oozes cool. Stockholm’s Södermalm, with its relaxed and creative vibe, fantastic spots to eat and drink and unique boutiques offering Swedish fashion only seals this reputation. Söder is also home to one of the most reputable art bookstores in Europe, Konst-ig dedicated to art, architecture, graphic design and fashion. Before leaving the area, climb up to Fjällgatan and Monteliusvägen to take in a panoramic view of the city.

KALLIO- HELSINKIKallio is Helsinki’s brunch central.

NORREBRO- COPENHAGENNørrebro is a must-see. As well as being a gastronomic hotspot, the area’s Jægersborggade is a delightful cobbled street full of coffee shops, bakeries, vintage clothes stores, pubs and wine bars. There’s even a café bar where you can do your laundry.

THE ‘HIPSTER TRIANGLE’ – DUBLINYou’ll never be too far from an organic, vegan or locally cultivated dishes – or a Mason jar beverage – in the Hipster Triangle. Everything here is home-grown and carefully crafted and there’s even the chance to learn how to make your own wedding ring.

CANAL ST.MARTIN – PARISOn a warm summer’s evening simply join crowds of young locals on the side of the Canal St. Martin. The whole area up to the Point Ephémère cultural center which hosts concerts, exhibitions and artist studios is lined with bars and bakeries.

LUXEMBOURG CITY
Not necessarily the first place that comes to mind when investigating where the cool kids hang out. Bonnevoie or the Grund have possibilities and there’s plenty of food and drink action in the City Center with at least one bar offering dark wood and vintage lighting and some easy-going reggae.

MALASANA – MADRID
Considered by many the birthplace of Spanish nightlife, the narrow streets of Malasaña have been rocking ever since the 1970s. At Ojala, you can even find a beach! and eat and drink cerveza with sand firmly wedged between your toes.

GRACIA – BARCELONA
With a great many shops, restaurants, bars and cafes, Gracia’s narrow streets are a great spot to grab a drink or something to eat or an evening concert after climbing to marvel at the view from the gardens, complete with gingerbread houses and mosaic lizard sculptures, as the sun goes down. In August, Gracia hosts a loud and boisterous week-long festival. At other times, catch an evening concert at Heliogabal.

PIGNETO – ROME
Pigneto is teeming with local shops, boutiques and cool vibes. One of the hippest places is the Kino dedicated to independent films. Not only a cinema, it’s a bistro and hosts many interesting events.

BRERA -MILAN
Home to designer boutiques and the renowned Pinoteca di Brera, a prestigious academy, this is one of the most stylish districts not just in Milan but in Italy. For those with deep pockets, 10 Corso Como sports all of the above, but with the welcome addition of a fantastic café and revolving gallery space.

RUA DE MIGUEL BOMBARDA – PORTO The Centro Comercial Bombarda in Porto’s art district is no ordinary mall but stocked exclusively with indie designers offering vintage clothes, handmade collectables and other niche goods. As for the neighbourhood in general, it’s all about co-working spaces and wine-themed hotels.

BEYOGLU – ISTANBUL
Lose yourself in art galleries, enjoy the music that comes out of the cafés in Istanbul, and look for treasures.

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Central and Eastern Europe

PRAGA – WARSAW

Hugging the Vistula river, Praga has blossomed into one Europe’s more creative hubs with many of its abandoned warehouses and disused factories now acting as hip bars, clubs, restaurants and art spaces attract the young crowd. Praga is where the pulse of Warsaw can really be found.

TRG BANG JELACICA – ZAGREB
Martićeva St in Zagreb with its counter-culture bookstores, wine bars, and specialty meat shops is where the intellectuals come together to talk. Join those in the know and drop the bigger, more touristy Dolac Market for the Kvatrić version.

HOLESOVICE – PRAGUE
Holešovická Tržnice is a giant indoor and outdoor market with an eclectic mix of stalls. You can also find art galleries, café-bookstore Ouky Douky and Bitcoin Cofee where you can only pay for your Java with Bitcoin as well as fantastic food and cheap/good microbrewery beer.

7TH DISTRICT – BUDAPEST

Quietly cultivating its own kind of cool, the city’s 7th District boasts an offbeat selection of watering holes in old abandoned buildings as well as countless exhibitions, movie screenings and concerts.

METELKOVA – LJUBLJANA
Once a military barracks, Metelkova is now home to amazing nightlife, public art and graffiti, edgy boutique hostels like Celica, multiple cafes and restaurants, and even a museum on the ground floor.

OLD TOWN – BRATISLAVA
It’s the trendy coffee shops, bistros and other eateries that reveal this city’s alternative side. There’s also a reggae bar that hosts board game nights.